Cellular Genomics and Affymetrix form research collaboration to develop novel high-content drug screens

Cellular Genomics and Affymetrix form research collaboration to develop novel high-content drug screens

October 9, 2003

Branford, CT

Branford, Conn. - October 9, 2003 - Cellular Genomics, Inc. (CGI), a chemical genetics based biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has established a research collaboration with Affymetrix, Inc. the pioneer in creating breakthrough tools that are driving the genetic revolution. In the collaboration, CGI will use Affymetrix GeneChip(R) brand technology in conjunction with CGI's chemical genetics Analog Sensitive Kinase Allele (ASKA) technology for the development of unique high-content assays for kinase drug discovery. In addition, the research program will demonstrate an important new utility for Affymetrix' GeneChip arrays in cell-based assay development and lead discovery. These studies will make it possible to determine, for the first time, all the changes in cellular gene expression resulting from exquisitely specific small molecule-mediated human kinase target inhibition.

"We are very pleased to begin this exciting collaboration with Affymetrix," said Mark Velleca, MD, Ph.D., Vice President of Research and Preclinical Development at CGI. "Affymetrix's high quality GeneChip platform will accelerate CGI's development of novel high-content drug screens that can be utilized for functional selectivity profiling of kinase inhibitors. In addition, the information gained from this research collaboration will enhance our abilities to choose the optimal clinical candidates from the potent, selective lead compounds that we have already generated in our kinase drug discovery and development programs."

CGI's cutting-edge chemical genetics approach is based on the discovery of Analog Sensitive Kinase Alleles (ASKAs). ASKAs are genetically modified kinases that retain all the functions of normal kinases, but can be potently inhibited with exquisite specificity by proprietary small molecule analog inhibitors. CGI holds the exclusive worldwide license to this broadly enabling chemical genetics technology, which is being directly applied to multiple facets of the drug discovery process. These include cell pathway based target identification, rigorous, pharmaceutically relevant in vivo target validation, proprietary high-content drug screens, and in vivo systems that provide key therapeutic index and drug safety information to guide the selection of optimal drug candidates for clinical development.

About Cellular Genomics, Inc.

Cellular Genomics Inc. (CGI) is a privately held genomics-based biopharmaceutical company that is pioneering a unique, highly integrated chemical genetics platform to discover and develop kinase and other signal transduction inhibitors for multiple clinical indications. CGI has established state-of-the art small molecule drug discovery capabilities, including proprietary chemical libraries generated through the company's High- throughput Accelerated Lead Optimization (HALO) platform. CGI has generated potent, selective lead candidates in three drug discovery and development programs in autoimmune and inflammatory disease, cancer, and angiogenesis that are advancing rapidly toward the clinic. CGI's proprietary chemical genetics technologies have broad applications across all phases of drug discovery, which the company is leveraging both to advance its own internal drug development programs as well as to establish partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Within the past year, the Company announced research collaborations with Serono SA, Schering AG, and Pfizer Inc., all of which are implementing CGI's chemical genetics technologies for partners' kinase drug discovery programs. Please visit (www.cellulargenomics.com) for additional information.